Strawberry plant Shalom

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of strawberry (Fragaria L.) called &#34;Shalom&#34; is disclosed. The variety is a cross between &#34;Rachel&#34; and &#34;Douglas&#34;, which results in a variety that flowers several months earlier than other known strawberry varieties.

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/489,407 filed Mar. 6,1990, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety ofstrawberry (Fragaria L.) called "Shalom". The variety was developed froman organized scientifically designated breeding program carried out atthe Agricultural Research Organization, the Volcani Center, Bet Dagan,Israel. The variety is the product of selection of seedlings resultingfrom crosses between the strawberry varieties "Rachel" and "Douglas".The variety was asexually vegetatively propagated through runners andthe reproduction ran true.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety "Shalom" resembles the variety "Douglas" and is able togrow in September and produce fruit starting in November and lastinguntil summer. The production of fruit beginning in November is twomonths earlier than any known variety of Fragaria L. The fruit of the"Shalom" variety is characterized by good taste, good shape and size aswell as a long shelf life.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1. Photograph of the "Shalom" variety illustrating the foliage andfruit.

FIG. 2. Photograph of the "Shalom" variety illustrating the fruit.

FIG. 3. Photograph of the "Shalom" variety illustrating the entire plantwith both flowers and fruit.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The "Shalom" variety was grown in winter under polyethylene tunnels inIsrael. "Shalom" is a short day variety that flowers earlier than otherknown short day length strawberry varieties. Flowering and fruitproduction is not affected by the use of polyethylene wind tunnels. Thisproduction procedure is utilized in normal agricultural practices by theskilled artisan and does not involve temperature or light control.Mother plants were stored at 0° C. from January through April. They werethen planted in the nursery without further treatment. Runners withplantlets were produced during summer. These young plantlets werecollected from the nursery in September and transferred to raised beds.Average temperatures at that time of the year are 30° C. during the dayand 22° C. at night. Water and fertilizers were applied through dripirrigation. An example of an optimum planting date is between September15th to the 20th with the approximate date of flowering on October 20,and the approximate date of first fruiting on November 20. "Shalom"flowering is not induced by chilling, but by natural exposure to shortday length (long nights) characteristic of late fall and early winter.Color readings described herein were taken under natural lightconditions and color identifications were made by reference to the RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart (RHSCC), except where common terms ofcolor definition are employed.

The pertinent characteristics of the present invention are presented inTable 1 and Table 2. Additionally, the variety "Shalom" (1) has notendency toward fruit malformation; (2) disease resistance appearsnormal in that no particular problematic conditions arose during trials;and (3) the type of bearing is not remontant (e.g., "Shalom" bloomsperpetuously, during late fall and winter).

The fruit is longer than broad, with primary, secondary and tertiaryfruit possessing a moderately distinct shape (Table 2). The fruit isfirm with a dark red color (Table 2).

The variety "Shalom" flowers several months earlier than knownstrawberry varieties. One of closest known varieties would be "Karina"(Table 1) as well as the new varieties under co-pending U.S. patentapplication Ser. Nos. 07/735,969 ("Sharon"), 07/735,968 ("Dorit"),07/735,967 ("Smadar"), and 07/435,970 ("Saaid"). Additionally, earlyflowering results in early fruit production for "Shalom" and the fourco-pending varieties (Table 3). Total Soluble Solids (TSS), percentacidity and aroma are presented in Table 4 by comparison to thevarieties listed in Table 3.

                  TABLE 1                                                         ______________________________________                                        PLANT CHARACTERISTICS OF "SHALOM"                                             MORPHOLOGICAL               COMPARABLE                                        TRAIT         DESCRIPTION.sup.a                                                                           VARIETY.sup.b                                     ______________________________________                                        Classification                                                                              Botanical-                                                                    Fragaria L.                                                     Plant habit   Flat-Globose  "Senagana"                                        Plant density Dense         "Talisman"                                        Plant vigor   Strong        "Grande"                                          Leaf:                                                                         a) Length     14-19 cm                                                        b) Width      10-12 cm                                                        c) Color      Green Group 147 A                                                             (RHSCC)                                                         1) Upper Side:                                                                              Very Dark                                                       d) Blistering Strong                                                          e) Cross-section                                                                            Slightly Convex                                                 f) # of leaflets                                                                            Sometimes >3                                                    Terminal leaflet                                                              a) Length/Width                                                                             Longer than broad                                               ratio                                                                         b) Shape of base                                                                            Obtuse                                                          c) Shape of teeth                                                                           Rounded                                                         d) Length     5-6 cm                                                          e) Width      4-5 cm                                                          Flower                                                                        a) Size       Medium        "Gorella"                                         b) Size of calyx to                                                                         Same size                                                       corolla                                                                       c) Size of inner calyx                                                                      Same size                                                       versus outer calyx                                                            d) Spacing of petals                                                                        Free                                                            e) Petal length/width                                                                       Longer than Broad                                               f) Time of flowering                                                                        Early         "Karina".sup.c                                    Stolon                                                                        a) Number     Few                                                             b) Thickness  Thin                                                            c) Pubescence Weak                                                            d) Anthocyanin                                                                              Medium                                                          coloration                                                                    Petiole                                                                       a) Pose of hairs                                                                            Outwards                                                        b) Length     8-13 cm                                                         Inflorescence                                                                 a) Position relative                                                                        Level                                                           to foliage                                                                    ______________________________________                                         .sup.a The description of "Shalom" is based on the test guidelines for        Fragaria L. of the International Union for the Protection of New Plant        Varieties, (UPOV).                                                            .sup.b Only characteristics which are relevant for comparing varieties ar     listed.                                                                       .sup.c "Shalom" flowers at the end of October. One of the earliest known      varieties for comparison is "Karina", which flowers in January.          

                  TABLE 2                                                         ______________________________________                                        FRUIT CHARACTERISTICS OF "SHALOM"                                             CHARACTERISTIC       DESCRIPTION                                              ______________________________________                                        Time of ripening     Early                                                    Ratio of length/maximum width                                                                      Longer than Broad                                        Primary Fruit.sup.a  Conical                                                  Length               40-48 mm                                                 Width                28-35 mm                                                 Secondary Fruit      Conical                                                  Length               32-35 mm                                                 Width                25-30 mm                                                 Tertiary Fruit       Ovoid                                                    Length               25-28 mm                                                 Width                24-25 mm                                                 Size                 Large                                                    Band without achenes Narrow                                                   Unevenness of surface                                                                              Weak                                                     Color                Dark red                                                 Evenness of color    Even                                                     Glossiness           Medium                                                   Insertion of achenes Level with surface                                       Insertion of calyx   Level with surface                                       Pose of calyx segments                                                                             Clasping                                                 Size of calyx in relation                                                                          Larger                                                   to fruit diameter                                                             Adherance of calyx   Strong                                                   Firmness             Firm                                                     Color of Flesh       Dark red                                                 Evenness of flesh color                                                                            Uneven                                                   Sweetness.sup.b      Medium                                                   Color                43 AB circa (RHSCC)                                      Taste.sup.b          Normal                                                   ______________________________________                                         .sup.a There is a moderate difference between the shape of the primary an     secondary fruit.                                                              .sup.b See Table 4.                                                      

                  TABLE 3                                                         ______________________________________                                        COMPARATIVE YIELD OF "SHALOM".sup.a                                                  Nov. Dec.     Jan.   Feb.   Mar. Apr.                                  ______________________________________                                        Shalom   50     70       80   100    100   70                                 Sharon.sup.b                                                                           40     60       80    80     80   80                                 Dorit.sup.c                                                                            30     70       100  100    100  100                                 Smadar.sup.d                                                                           50     70       100  100    100   50                                 Saaid.sup.e                                                                             0     70       100  100    100  100                                 Douglas.sup.f                                                                           0      0       40   150    150  150                                 Chandler.sup.g                                                                          0      0       30   150    150  120                                 ______________________________________                                         .sup.a Average yield in g/m.sup.2 in Ramat Hadar, Israel (1989-90). The       time of ripening for "Shalom" fruit is early.                                 .sup.b U. S. application Ser. No. 07/735,969. The time of ripening for        "Sharon" fruit is very early.                                                 .sup.c U. S. application Ser. No. 07/735,968. The time of ripening for        "Dorit" fruit is early.                                                       .sup.d U. S. application Ser. No. 07/735,967. The time of ripening for        "Smadar" fruit is very early to early.                                        .sup.e U. S. application Ser. No. 07/735,970. The time of ripening for        "Saaid" fruit is early to medium.                                             .sup.f U. S. Plant Pat. No. 4,487. The time of ripening for "Douglas"         fruit is late.                                                                .sup.g U. S. Plant Pat. No. 5,262. The time of ripening for "Chandler"        fruit is late.                                                           

                  TABLE 4                                                         ______________________________________                                        COMPARATIVE FRUIT CHARACTERISTICS OF                                          "SHALOM"                                                                              T.S.S..sup.a                                                                          Acidity.sup.b                                                         in %    in %     Aroma     Taste                                      ______________________________________                                        Shalom    8.0-9.0   1.0      4       Normal                                   Sharon.sup.c                                                                            6.5-7.0   1.0      3       Slightly                                                                      Acidic                                   Dorit.sup.d                                                                             8.5-9.5   1.0      5       Good                                     Smadar.sup.e                                                                            8.5-9.5   1.0      5       Good                                     Saaid.sup.f                                                                             8.0-9.0   1.0      3       Normal                                   Douglas.sup.g                                                                           6.5-7.0   0.8      3       Slightly                                                                      Acidic                                   Chandler.sup.h                                                                          6.5-7.0   0.8      3       Slightly                                                                      Acidic                                   ______________________________________                                         .sup.a Total Soluble Solids expresses fruit sweetness and was determined      with a refractometer.                                                         .sup.b Percent of acidity was determined as follows: 2 cc of juice extrac     was mixed with 20 cc of water. Five drops of fenolfthaleinen was added an     the mixture was titrated with NaOH. The percent acidity is calculated as      the quantity of NaOH (cc) × 0.32.                                       .sup.c U. S. application Ser. No. 07/735,969.                                 .sup.d U. S. application Ser. No. 07/735,968.                                 .sup.e U. S. application Ser. No. 07/735,967.                                 .sup.f U. S. application Ser. No. 07/735,970.                                 .sup. g U. S. Plant Pat. No. 4,487.                                           .sup.h U. S. Plant Pat. No. 5,262.                                       

What is claimed is:
 1. A new distinct variety of strawberrysubstantially as illustrated and described and distinguished as beingable to grow in September and produce fruit starting in November andlasting until summer, with fruit having a good taste and shape and along shelf life.